Sunday, August 14, 2016

Super Foods, What Are They?

There is so much hype about “super foods”, yet the reality is that there is no legally, nutritionally, or medically supported definition for what a super food is. The term super food is actually a marketing term used in the Natural Food industry as a way of promoting foods that are superior in quality and health benefits. That makes sense to me. After all, the definition of super is excellent, and the definition of food is any nutritious substance which living things (including plants) eat, drink, and/or absorb in order to maintain life and growth – hence the term super food. Basically, a super food is any nutrient- dense food high in phytonutrients and contains various components and qualities beneficial to optimal health and well-being. I personally am a strong supporter of super foods, and I can attest to their power.

“So what exactly is considered a super food?” you ask. Most plant foods can be considered super foods because of the high content and variety of phytonutrients. Dark leafy green vegetables are the super food of all super foods! These dark leafy green plants serve as great sources of nutrients, promoting optimal health due to the high content of phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Most other vegetables and fruits can be considered super foods too. These plant-based foods are also rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and a slew of other nutrients, perfect for nourishing and healing the body.

The list of “qualified” super foods is abundant with a wide variety of options. Besides fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens, super foods also include many seeds, nuts, grains, legumes, and even some animal-based food products such as fish (e.g. salmon). In fact, some of the more popular super foods that you may hear about are considered “ancient foods”. These are called ancient foods because the food itself has proven useful and relevant to the various cultures within the respective geographical areas over hundreds of generations for thousands of years. These foods include popular food products such as cacao, maca root, lucuma, hemp, camu, suma root, and acai – just to name a few. Some of these ancient super foods have been claimed to provide you with a feeling of euphoria in addition to an exceptionally high content of nutrition.

A super food is purely a food, typically plant-based, that provides the body with an incredible amount of energy and nutrition to feel super healthy inside and out. Superior nourishment for longevity and optimal well-being!

…Next article in the series: Phytonutrients – The Essence of a Super Food.